Blood : Pure
by ravebow
Summary: Strange things happen to strange people...and Ivory Amsel is the strangest person of all. New to Hogwarts and with a dark secret...anything's possible.


**Blood**** : Pure**

**~Chapter One~**

Ivory Amsel's eyes opened slowly, her pupils shrinking as sunlight flooded her vision. Normally, on such a day, she would have simply turned over and gone back to sleep (she had always been more of a night owl) but today she would be able to do no such thing. Reluctantly, and with quite a few choice words, she got to her feet and stretched. Her reflection watched her from the antique mirror on the wall. "Alright, comb your hair, get dressed, brush your teeth, pack your trunk, and polish your shoes…" her mirror self ordered in a sing-song voice. Obviously such a mirror would be gawked at in absolute wonderment by muggles such as you but to Ivory it was simply part of a daily routine. Ivory, you see, was a witch. Not a very good witch, mind you, she hadn't even started her formal education yet.

Her ebony locks now pulled back in a ponytail and her belongings stuffed in a weathered leather trunk, she admired her reflection awkwardly. She was a great beauty, though she would never see it. What she saw were the dark circles under her eyes, her pale skin (which some would find attractive) and her dull violet eyes. She tried to force a smile and a gleaming pair of fangs was revealed. Perhaps you now realize that Ivory had quite a big secret. Vampires, when recognized, were often shunned by wizard society. She sighed. Perhaps she would try not to smile…it wouldn't be hard; a childhood of solitude (blamed on her 'condition') had left her reluctant to show much emotion.

In the hall, a grandfather clock sounded nine times. With a final glance about her room she began to drag her trunk out. A tall, lanky boy watched her struggling with the burdensome load from a doorway across the hall. His eyes gleamed impishly; a Cheshire cat grin revealed fangs much like his sister's.

"Would you wipe that stupid grin off your face and help me?" Ivory demanded. Rayner shrugged and took the end of the trunk opposite her.

Ten minutes later, with the trunk set beside the front door, the siblings were seated at a broad oak table in an elegant dining hall. A wraithlike woman in a plush pink robe was serving steaming plates of sausage, eggs and bacon. A jug of crimson liquid sat in the very center of the table. A ruggedly handsome man entered the room from the kitchen, taking a seat at the head of the table. "Enjoy!" chirped Mrs. Amsel.

"So…" Mr. Amsel paused to take a sip of blood. "Mm…so Ivory, you excited to start school?" Ivory shrugged. Rayner chuckled darkly.

"I bet she's terrified." he whispered loud enough for all to hear. It was partly true. Ivory had never been in such a largely social situation. She had been "home schooled", in a sense, instead of attending Hogwarts for her first two years of schooling. In her mind, she reasoned that all of the cliques had been made, all friendships were cemented and all loyalties were impenetrable. Her brother (who had been educated the same way and started Hogwarts two years before) had told her otherwise many times but she had still resigned herself to five years of loneliness. Ivory was tugged from her thoughts when her mother squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"You'll be alright…you'll make friends in no time." Rayner smiled as kindly as he could manage, a rare effort to soothe his younger sibling's anxiety. Mr. Amsel checked his watch suddenly.

"10 o'clock…we'd best be going soon."

A little over an hour later, on the Hogwarts Express, the Amsel children were sitting stiffly in their own compartment. A wild-eyed tabby was curled in Rayner's lap, purring contently. For a moment Ivory's thoughts lingered on how much she wished she had a cat, or perhaps an owl, before she remembered that she had never been able to care for anything. With a sigh, she directed her gaze out the window. Green hills rolled by, stretching infinitely before and behind the train. Distant shadows hinted at the presence of mountains. The cloudless sky shone almost blindingly blue, even through thick glass.

Ivory jumped as someone knocked on the compartment door.

"Anything from the trolley?" a woman's voice inquired. Rayner slid back the door with a falsely cheerful grin.

"Yes please…a few pumpkin pasties?" he requested.

"And for you, sweetie?" the woman turned to Ivory.

"Erm…have you got anything to drink?"

"Just pumpkin juice."

"That should be fine, thank you…oh and a few chocolate frogs." The woman passed the treats to the pair and poured a glass of pumpkin juice for Ivory. A few sickels changed hands and the trolley woman wished them a pleasant train ride.

As evening fell, the train still sped forward towards the castle which was now coming into view.

"You should change." Rayner commented bluntly. It was probably the longest sentence he had said to her all day. Ivory nodded, opening her trunk and sifting through the clothing in search of her new school robes. When she found them, she was thankful for the thousandth time that these robes were black and not some bright color that would call attention to her.

While she straightened her robes and tried to examine her faint reflection in the train window, a booming voice called,

"Five minutes to Hogsmeade Station! Five minutes!" The train had already begun to lurch, slowing considerably. The train roared with chatter and the clunk of trunks being taken from the luggage racks. Her brother added to the din (with no little amount of glee) by loudly clunking his trunk down onto the train floor. Ivory's trunk was open and partially unpacked at her feet. As she finished stuffing her belongings back inside, Rayner slid open the train door and led his hesitant sister into the masses.

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Author's Note: Hi everybody! This is my first fanfic…I really hope you like it. I'm pretty nervous about posting this believe it or not ^^; Anyway, I love reviews.


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